Dragon Ball, Saiyans Don't Just Want to Get Stronger!

"King Chappa! King Chappa! King Chappa!"

King Chappa's entrance drew a frenzy of cheers from his supporters. The burly, muscular man wore a look of supreme confidence, waving to the crowd as he strode toward the ring with the gait of a dragon.

He deliberately flexed his shoulders and arms, his well-developed muscles bulging like coiled dragons. As he assumed the starting stance of the Eight-Hand Fist, a dense blur of fist shadows materialized before him, triggering another roar of applause from the audience.

He stood firm opposite Vitelli, his disdain deepening as he looked at the boy's sleepy expression. A cold, mocking snort escaped his nostrils.

"Hmph! Kid! Don't think that just because you got lucky with some unknown tricks yesterday, you can act arrogant in front of me, King Chappa! You're unlucky to have run into me! Your little parlor tricks are nothing but fragile glass before the true essence of my Eight-Hand Fist!" He held his chin high, his eyes filled with contempt, as if victory were already in his grasp.

Vitelli couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids; he had zero interest in such vapid pre-match trash talk. He didn't even change his posture, merely raising his right hand with extreme casualness and curling his fingers into a loose fist.

The very moment the referee's "Begin!" faded into the air!

Vitelli moved!

No charging up, no shouting, not even a visible exertion of force!

He simply swung his fist forward with natural ease, as if he were shooing away a fly!

BANG—!!!

A dull, heart-stopping explosion rang out, as if the air itself had been shattered by that single punch! A visible white ring of shockwaves erupted violently from his knuckles!

The arrogance on King Chappa's face, which had been there just a second ago, froze instantly, replaced by sheer, unadulterated terror! He hadn't even seen the punch coming; he only felt an indescribable, mountain-collapsing, tsunami-like force slam into his chest!

"Ugh-ah—!!!"

A shrill, distorted scream pierced the sky! King Chappa's burly frame was struck as if by a heavy truck traveling at full speed! In an instant, he transformed into a blurred, twisted cannonball, tearing through the air with a piercing whistle and shooting toward the sky outside the ring at a terrifying speed far exceeding the speed of sound!

He was moving so fast that he left a white streak in the sky!

Within a second or two, both the scream and the blurred figure vanished completely at the edge of the horizon, leaving behind only a faint, dissipating white contrail and a deathly silence across the arena.

The smiles and cheers of the fanatical fans who had been chanting for King Chappa froze on their faces as if someone had hit a pause button. Their mouths hung open wide enough to fit an egg! In the entire arena, among tens of thousands of spectators, one could hear a pin drop. Only the sound of the wind and the faint crashing of distant waves remained.

"Wow! A shooting star!" Krillin was the first to break the silence. He pointed excitedly in the direction where King Chappa had disappeared, pressed his palms together, and closed his eyes in pious prayer. "I hope I get rich overnight!"

Son Goku subconsciously pressed his palms together as well: "I hope I can eat meat every day..."

The sight of the two little ones praying by the ring looked particularly bizarre and comical in the deathly silent arena.

The referee's hand holding the microphone was trembling slightly. He swallowed hard, using all his strength to suppress the tremor in his voice: "The... the winner... is the contestant, Vitelli!" His voice was dry, as if he had exhausted every ounce of his energy.

This time, there were no cheers, no applause. There were only countless gazes of sheer horror, staring like they were looking at a monster, fixed upon the black-haired youth on the ring who was slowly retracting his fist as if he had just done something utterly trivial.

One punch! It was just one punch! A semifinalist had been swatted away like trash and vanished into the horizon! What kind of terrifying power was this?! It had completely transcended their understanding of "martial arts."

In the afternoon, the draw for the semifinals was announced:

Match 1: Vitelli vs. Jackie Chun (Master Roshi)

Match 2: Son Goku vs. Krillin

The matches were temporarily over, and Vitelli was preparing to follow Bulma to enjoy a late lunch. Bulma tugged at him gently and pointed to Goku and Krillin, who were nearby, rubbing their bellies and staring longingly at the surrounding food stalls: "Should we take them with us? I heard Krillin say they didn't bring much money for the tournament. The food provided by the organizers... doesn't seem to be enough for Goku."

Vitelli glanced at the two little brats, especially Krillin, who was trying to act calm while his stomach growled uncontrollably. Thinking that they might have a bond of fighting side-by-side in the future, he nodded indifferently: "Fine."

"Wow! Thank you so much, Bulma! Vitelli!" As soon as Goku heard they could have a big meal, he cheered and jumped for joy, grabbing a still-hesitant and embarrassed Krillin as they followed along.

This time, Bulma chose a luxury restaurant famous for its seafood. The result was, naturally, another "disaster" that made the restaurant manager and chefs question their existence.

Vitelli and Goku were like two high-efficiency food shredders; wherever they went, plates became empty at a speed visible to the naked eye. Lobsters, king crabs, oysters, mountains of sushi and sashimi... disappeared into their mouths in a constant stream.

Krillin had learned his lesson this time; he grabbed a large plate of his favorite food early on and hid in a corner to struggle in silence. Watching the "inhuman" eating speed of the other two, he once again updated his understanding of what it meant to be a "big eater."

Under the restaurant owner's complex gaze, which was a mix of heartache and flattery, Vitelli satisfiedly put down the last giant crab shell and picked his teeth comfortably. Goku mimicked his posture, rubbing his round belly and humming with happiness.

Bulma paid the bill with a flourish. The long string of numbers made Krillin's eyes pop, and he screamed in the depths of his heart: "It's so good to be rich! I want to be a rich man too, ahhh!"

The afternoon semifinals were about to begin.

The atmosphere in the main arena was even more tense and expectant than in the morning. Now, the winners of the semifinals would be decided, and the champion of this tournament would finally be born!

First semifinal: Son Goku vs. Krillin!

The two little ones launched a fierce duel on the massive ring! Their figures were agile, their strikes swift; they traded blows, and the transitions between offense and defense were dazzling. The solid foundation taught by Master Roshi and the results of this year's special training were displayed to the fullest in their hearty battle.

The audience watched, mesmerized, sending waves of cheers and applause for these two children who were so young yet possessed such astonishing strength.

"Go, Goku!"

"Krillin! Don't lose!"

Master Roshi, disguised as "Jackie Chun," mingled among the crowd, his eyes filled with gratification as he watched his two disciples. Especially when he saw Goku, in the midst of a fierce entanglement, suddenly seize a fleeting opportunity to retreat and open up some distance.

He quickly pulled his hands to his waist, assuming a stance that Master Roshi knew all too well, yet never expected to see—the starting stance of the Kamehameha!

"That... that is!" Master Roshi's pupils shrank, and his eyes behind his sunglasses widened into circles. "Kamehameha?! Impossible! I haven't taught it to them yet! Could it be... that time at Mount Frypan?!"

He instantly remembered that he had performed it once to put out the massive fire. Could this kid have learned it just by watching it once?!

"Ka~~me~~" Goku's youthful yet powerful voice rang out, and a blue ball of light rapidly condensed in his palms, emitting an astonishing energy fluctuation!

Krillin was stunned by Goku's sudden retreat. Seeing that familiar stance and feeling the terrifying energy aura rushing toward him, his little face turned deathly pale! He recognized it! This was Master Mutaito's ultimate technique! A massive sense of crisis engulfed him! Dodge? It was too late! Block? With what could he block it?!

"Ha~~me!!!"

"HA—!!!"

With a roar from Son Goku, a brilliant, dazzling pillar of blue energy tore through the air like a raging dragon. Carrying destructive power, it crossed the arena in an instant and slammed into the caught-off-guard Krillin!

"Ugh—!!!"

Krillin only had time to let out a short, shrill scream before he was sent flying by the violent torrent of energy like a kite with a broken string. He traced a high arc through the air and crashed into the ground outside the arena with a thunderous "boom," his head lolling to the side as he passed out instantly. A small crater formed where he landed, sending dust billowing into the air.

The referee was stunned for several seconds by the sheer power of the move, only regaining his senses after a moment to raise his hand: "Out... out of bounds! The winner of this match is—Son Goku!!!"

"Yay! I won!" Son Goku jumped up in excitement, his face glowing with the joy of victory.

"Wow—!!!" The audience erupted in deafening cheers, offering their most enthusiastic applause for such a spectacular and powerful strike!

After a short break, the host's excited voice rang out once more:

"Next up! It is the highly anticipated second semifinal! The mysterious and powerful Vitelli will face off against the experienced and enigmatic Jackie Chun!!"

Vitelli and Master Roshi (Jackie Chun) stepped onto the arena at the same time.

Master Roshi had already removed his sunglasses, revealing his aged but sharp-eyed face. His expression was incredibly solemn as he focused entirely on Vitelli. The previous scene was still fresh in his mind; the pressure this young man exerted on him surpassed even what he had felt when facing King Piccolo!

Referee: "Match—begin!"

Vitelli did not act as casually as he had with King Chappa. Facing this God of Martial Arts, he offered basic respect.

He pulled into a simple fighting stance and said in a low voice, "Come at me, Mr. Jackie Chun."

At the same time, he shifted his intent, forcibly suppressing his own ki to a level comparable to Master Roshi. However, he could not suppress his basic attributes, such as physical strength and neural reaction speed.

Master Roshi took a deep breath, knowing that probing was meaningless. He let out a low shout, stomped his foot, and his figure vanished from the spot! Fast! Like a ghost! To the ordinary audience, they could only see a blurred afterimage lunging at Vitelli!

Master Roshi instantly appeared at Vitelli's side, a whip kick condensed with his full strength whistling through the air as it swept toward Vitelli's ribs! The angle was tricky, the speed astonishing!

However, in Vitelli's eyes, this lightning-fast strike from Master Roshi was as slow as slow-motion in a movie! Vitelli didn't even need to think; his body's instinctive reaction allowed him to dodge with ease and natural grace! Master Roshi's kick brushed past his clothes, the resulting air current ruffling his hair.

Master Roshi was not discouraged after missing; his punches, palms, fingers, and kicks poured out like a violent storm! Every strike contained the essence of martial arts, with tricky angles and a mix of feints and reality! Figures flew across the arena, and the sound of fists whistling filled the air!

But what terrified Master Roshi more and more was that no matter how exquisite his attacks were or how fast his speed, Vitelli could always dodge at the last second with minimal, almost precognitive movements! Vitelli hadn't even left his spot! His movements were fluid and natural, carrying an indescribable sense of rhythm, as if he weren't fighting but dancing elegantly on the stage! The attacks from Master Roshi, which were enough to shatter stone, occasionally landed on him when he couldn't be bothered to dodge, but they were like stones sinking into the sea, failing to even make his body sway!

"Sigh..." Vitelli sighed inwardly, a great sense of disappointment welling up in his heart. He had intended to suppress his strength and have a hearty, evenly matched battle with this martial arts master to experience the collision of pure technique.

But reality was cruel; his body's instinctive reactions and control over the rhythm of the fight were enough to keep him invincible. His opponent's attacks were full of openings in his eyes. This wasn't a fight at all; it was one-sided play. He tried to stop dodging, but Master Roshi's strength wasn't even enough to tickle him.

Master Roshi's inner shock was beyond measure! Sweat had already soaked his back! He had given his all, using every trick he had up his sleeve! But the opponent was like an immovable mountain! Those seemingly casual dodges stepped into the gaps of his attack rhythm every single time! The way his body didn't budge when taking hits only highlighted his unfathomable physical strength! This young man... what kind of monster is he?! Just how strong is he?!

"It seems... the idea of having a serious fight on Earth is impossible after all." Vitelli's heart was filled with helplessness.

Master Roshi suddenly retreated a few steps to create distance. A flash of resolve crossed his eyes as he tore off his upper gi, revealing a lean but powerful physique. He quickly raised his hands in front of his chest, and a powerful, violent electrical energy began to gather around him, crackling with explosive sounds! Blue arcs of electricity jumped and flickered, illuminating his aged face with a murderous intensity!

"Kid! Watch out for this move!!" Master Roshi's hair and beard stood on end as he shouted, "Thunder—Shock—Surprise!!!"

Boom—!!!

As Master Roshi thrust his palms forward, a massive electric net woven from countless violent blue lightning bolts, carrying a destructive aura and deafening thunder, instantly descended upon Vitelli! The blinding light made all the spectators instinctively close their eyes!

"Vitelli!" Bulma's heart jumped into her throat, and she couldn't help but gasp.

"Sigh!" On the arena, Vitelli's clear and helpless sigh rang out once more.

Just as the terrifying net of lightning was about to swallow Vitelli, he moved! No flashy moves, no wind-up. He just raised his right hand quite casually and gave a light wave toward the overwhelming electric net.

Snap—!!!

A crisp sound, like glass shattering! The massive Thunder Shock Surprise electric net, which had enough power to melt steel, disintegrated instantly under Vitelli's nonchalant wave as if it were a popped soap bubble! The violent current scattered like a headless fly, and after a few reluctant "zapping" sounds, it dissipated into the air as if it had never existed!

The entire arena fell into dead silence once again! You could hear a pin drop!

Master Roshi remained in his thrusting pose, dumbfounded, as if he had turned to stone. His all-out attack... just like that... gone?

Vitelli slowly raised his head to look at the stunned Master Roshi. His eyes were calm and waveless, yet they carried an indifference that made Master Roshi's heart run cold.

"Let me... get a little serious too." Vitelli's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone in the arena. "Be careful, don't die."

Before the words had even faded, Vitelli's figure vanished from the spot!

Master Roshi only felt a blur before his eyes! An indescribable aura of death, as if the entire world were collapsing upon him, instantly swallowed him whole! He didn't even have time to react! Time seemed to stretch infinitely in that moment!

In Master Roshi's dilated pupils, he seemed to see... his entire life...

His childhood self and Master Shen practicing basic techniques under Master Mutaito, sweating profusely. His eyes back then were so pure; he didn't even know what women were.

The despairing, terrifying figure of King Piccolo, the resolve of Master Mutaito burning his life away to perform the Evil Containment Wave...

Climbing Korin Tower, seeing Korin holding out a Senzu Bean when he was exhausted...

The excitement of performing his first Kamehameha...

The embarrassing moment of having a nosebleed when seeing a beautiful girl in a swimsuit...

The pride in teaching young Son Goku and young Krillin...

Three hundred years of life flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern! Crystal clear! Is this... the sign of impending death?!

Boom—!!!!

A deafening roar jolted Master Roshi from his life review! The expected agony did not come! He snapped his eyes open to see Vitelli's fist stopped less than an inch from the tip of his nose!

The terrifying wind from the punch hadn't dissipated; instead, like an invisible giant blade, it tore through the air violently, starting from Vitelli's fist and shooting straight into the sky!

Sshhh—!!!

Where the wind of the punch passed, the thick clouds high in the sky were cleaved as if by a giant axe! In an instant, a massive vacuum channel dozens of meters wide appeared, stretching across the entire horizon! Sunlight pierced through this colossal "chasm," casting a spectacular pillar of light onto the arena floor! It was as if the very sky had been punched through!

"Waaaaah——!!!!!!!"

After a brief, deathly silence came a roar of shock and screaming that threatened to flip the entire Papaya Island upside down! Every spectator stood up, gazing at the fist-mark that had torn the firmament asunder, their faces etched with extreme shock and disbelief! Was this the kind of power a human could possess?! This was a miracle!!

Master Roshi stood frozen in place, cold sweat cascading down his forehead like a waterfall, his training gi soaked through at the back. He looked at the fist inches from his face, then looked up at the massive "scar" that pierced the heavens.

In that split second just now... he had truly seen his entire life flash before his eyes! If the opponent hadn't held back... he, Master Roshi... would likely never see a beautiful woman again!

Vitelli slowly retracted his fist and sighed with a sense of listlessness. As if he had lost all interest, he didn't even glance at the shaken Master Roshi, turning directly toward the judges' stand instead.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly cut through the clamor of the entire arena: "I forfeit."

"Eh?!!" Bulma, Son Goku, Krillin, Master Roshi, the announcer, and even the entire audience were stunned! Everyone suspected their ears were playing tricks on them!

"Contestant Vitelli says he forfeits!!!... Contestant Vitelli has chosen to... forfeit?!" The announcer's initially excited voice went out of tune as he stammered to confirm, "Contestant Vitelli! Are... are you sure?! You had an absolute advantage!"

Vitelli ignored him completely. He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd to land on the bewildered young Son Goku below the ring, a complex sense of expectation appearing in his eyes.

"Do your best, Son Goku." Vitelli's voice carried a trace of imperceptible earnestness. "You need to get stronger, quickly."

With that, he stopped looking at anyone and walked straight off the ring to take Bulma's hand. Bulma looked at Vitelli; she didn't ask why he forfeited, nor did she ask where they were going. She simply gripped his broad, warm palm tightly in return, looked up, and gave him a gentle, resolute smile: "Mm, let's go."

Feeling the warmth and trust radiating from her palm, Vitelli nodded. Holding Bulma's hand, he ignored the arena behind him—still mired in massive shock and chaos—and ignored the confused, fanatical gazes of the audience, walking toward the blue, tranquil seaside at the edge of the island as if taking a leisurely stroll.

The sunlight spilled over them, casting long shadows.

Behind them, the announcer's voice rang out through the loudspeakers as if waking from a dream, attempting to reignite the atmosphere of the arena: "Uh... due to Contestant Vitelli's forfeiture, the winner of this semifinal is... Contestant Jackie Chun! Next, we will proceed to the final match of this World Martial Arts Tournament! It will be Contestant Son Goku versus Contestant Jackie Chun! The true number one in the world will be born immediately!!!"

Chapter 12: Master Mutaito Nearly Bankrupt

Papaya Island, the resort island that had been boiling with the noise and excitement of the World Martial Arts Tournament, finally embraced its original tranquility once more as the last of the contestants and spectators departed.

The streets that were once bustling with noise and the beaches once packed shoulder-to-shoulder were now left with nothing but the soothing rhythm of waves lapping against the shore and the clear cries of seabirds.

Sunlight spilled onto the fine, soft white sand without obstruction, reflecting a dazzling glow, while the air was filled with the salty, fresh scent of the sea breeze, as if the previous frenzy of the event had been nothing more than a fleeting dream.